Man arrested for having sex with 18-year-old victim with disabilities

Wednesday

A Ravenswood man has been charged with sexually assaulting an 18-year-old girl with mental disabilities, in an encounter allegedly arranged by the boyfriend of the victim's mother.

Phillip Lee Williams, 20, Lot 4 Wilding Circle, Ravenswood, was charged with third-degree sexual assault against a person who is mentally disabled or incapacitated. Jackson County Magistrate Jacqueline Casto set bond at $75,000. Williams was incarcerated in the South Central Regional Jail.

On May 18, Williams allegedly had sexual intercourse with an 18-year-old victim, who police allege had the functional intelligence of someone 14 to 16 years of age. The boyfriend of the victim's mother allegedly arranged the encounter between Williams and the victim, court records show. Additional charges are pending.

Police were notified by the victim's uncle and began their investigation on June 14.

Deputy J.T. Hurt was dispatched by the Jackson County 911 Center to a residence on Wilding Road regarding a possible sexual assault involving an 18-year-old female who has a mental disability, according to paperwork filed in Jackson County Magistrate Court. Hurt arrived at the residence and contacted Sgt. Eric Cullen to make him aware of the situation.

According to court documents, Hurt spoke with the uncle of the alleged victim, who told officers the victim's mother's boyfriend had asked the victim three times if she wanted to have sex with Williams, a neighbor. The victim responded that she did not want to have sex with the neighbor. Despite this, the victim's mother's boyfriend allegedly walked to Lot 4 Wilding Circle and spoke to Williams about an arrangement, police allege.

Hurt interviewed the alleged victim, who stated that on May 18 she was getting ready to plant some things outside. She stated her mother's boyfriend told her that she could not plant her plants until she went and spoke with the neighbor. The victim told officers she did not want any of this to happen and that all she wanted to do was plant the plants in her garden, court documents allege.

Hurt, Cullen and Detective R. Mellinger interviewed the victim's mother's boyfriend, who allegedly told officers he gave Williams permission to have sex with the victim, court documents allege. The victim's mother's boyfriend also told officers he should not have condoned this and had made a mistake.

The victim's mother's boyfriend allegedly admitted to knowing that the victim had a mental handicap. He stated that she has a learning disability, court documents show.

The victim's mother's boyfriend said he wanted to arrange the encounter to calm the girl down and give himself peace of mind that she would not run off to chase boys.

Police also interviewed Williams, who said the victim's mother's boyfriend came to his residence to ask him for help, court documents allege.

Williams told officers that the victim's mother's boyfriend told him to have sex with the victim and also told him she was an 18-year-old virgin.

"Williams stated that he went inside and did what he needed to do then left. Williams stated that he used a condom and that (the victim) stated she threw the condom into the creek so no one would find it. Williams stated that she never told him on this occasion that she wanted to do anything. Williams admitted to possibly realizing that she was not on a normal intelligence level," police wrote in the complaint.